Arts/Culture Organization

Iris Care – A conversation with Susanne Fuller, Iris enthusiast of the Acton Garden Club

October 3, 2026

by Ann Marie Testarmata

Fall is beckoning with a long list of things to do for the garden: which perennials to split, which to transplant, and what bulbs to plant. When it comes to irises, they have been on my “what to do” list since May when they, having bloomed so beautifully,…

Woman’s Club dinner: International dining in a historic house

October 3, 2026

by Alissa Nicol

The Acton Woman’s Club (AWC) hosted a community dinner at their 1829 Federal-style clubhouse on Main Street in the Center Historic District on Sunday, September 20. Acton Personal Chef Asude Yagmur Thompson, founder of Marquise Cooking Services, prepared a Turkish- and Moroccan-inspired vegetarian menu for more than 30…

Happenings at the Acton Woman’s Club

September 19, 2026

by Joan Milnes

September brings the start of a new year at the Acton Woman’s Club. The speaker at our kickoff luncheon was Acton resident and nationally renowned sculptor Meredith Bergmann, who showed how her process grows from historic research of great Americans to sculpting each monument at three different sizes.…

Acton Woman’s Club members attend Westfield fundraiser

August 15, 2026

by Joan Milnes

Members of the Westfield Woman’s Club (WWC) reached out to the Acton Woman’s Club (AWC), inviting members to meet one another to share ideas about fundraising. A group from Westfield drove to Acton last fall for a casual lunch inside the clubhouse located at 504 Main Street. The…

Sculpture, pots, and paintings sparkle at gallery reception

August 8, 2026

by Meg Stafford

It is always welcoming to walk into E Drumm Designs’ light filled space of curated treasures at 21A Spruce Street, but especially so when Elisa Drumm Van Auken, owner, is hosting a reception for a new show. Such was the case July 31st, when artists Ariel Matisse and…

One reader’s trash, every reader’s treasure

August 1, 2026

Greg JarboeandMiriam Lezak

If you have ever wondered what happens to a book before it becomes a book, on Saturday, July 25, you could buy your way into that secret at the Silver Unicorn Bookstore. The occasion was the bookstore’s annual ARC Sale. This is one of the most anticipated traditions…

Discovery Museum Nature Play Festival: mud, bugs, and lots of fun

July 25, 2026

by Discovery Museum staff

Mud, bugs, leaves, twigs, flowers, fire, and other natural materials made for a fun day of nature exploration and learning for kids and families at Discovery Museum’s second annual free Nature Play Festival on Friday, July 10. More than 1,500 residents of Acton and beyond enjoyed the festival…

Black and white ink drawing shows of someone's feet, in black shoes, resting on a stuffed-cushion couch, with a crowded counter full of dirty dishes and pots in the rear, under two windows with brushes and little vases of flowers on the window sill.

Acton Exchange Team members kick their feet up

June 27, 2026

by Franny Osman

This coming week, the Acton Exchange Team is taking a break. That doesn’t mean you have to! As you and your family or friends partake in an Independence Day celebration, historic re-enactment, or even a local camp or summer school, please write about it and send a short…

The Acton Woman’s Club visits Davis Art Museum: A hidden gem

May 16, 2026

by Joan Milnes

The Davis Art Museum at Wellesley College welcomed a group from the Acton Woman’s Club on April 29. Dr. Semente, the museum’s curator of education and public programs, gave an intimate 90-minute talk that included a discussion about the current exhibit of photographs by German photographer Ilse Bing.…

A person wearing black stands next to a large vessel. Half the vessel is a rural scene with a blue sky, the other half is grey with pipes.

The future of ceramics is on display in Umbrella Arts Center’s Biennial Exhibition

May 2, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

CONCORD, April 20, 2026: The Umbrella Arts Center presents its second Ceramics Biennial Exhibition, titled “Earthworks: Evolution” and featuring 50 artists from New England whose work marks the rich history, cultural expression, and ongoing innovation of contemporary ceramics. Running April 29 through June 28, the exhibition highlights the…

Margaret Kennedy Social Justice Initiative Fund inaugural event: “Restoring the Promise”

February 21, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

League of Women Voters – Acton Area (the League) has announced the establishment of the Margaret Kennedy Social Justice Initiative Fund in honor of Marge’s passionate commitment to social justice. The multi-year initiative, funded by a generous bequest at her death in December 2022, will continue her commitment…

Acton Historical Society Celebrates 65 Years

October 25, 2025

by Patricia McTiernan

Vintage cars, reenactors in Colonial dress, and sweet treats greeted visitors to the Acton Historical Society’s (Society) 65th anniversary celebration on October 19. Held at the Society’s headquarters at 300 Main Street, the event featured self-guided tours of historic Hosmer House and the nearby Barn, interaction with members…

YV Museum concert: fascinating sounds from fantastical instruments

May 31, 2025

by Meg Stafford

It was impossible to know what to expect from the May 18 concert at the YV Museum. The photo alone does not conjure the possibilities of sound and motion that are created by this metal sculpture composed of some recognizable parts (Buddha head, horse shoes, hubcaps, parts of…

YV Art Museum Spring Opening; yet another hidden gem in Acton

April 5, 2025

by Pam Minichiello

On Sunday March 17, Contemporary Arts International, also known as the YV Art Museum, held a Spring Opening showcasing the works of three artists: Yin Peet, David Adilman, and Chou Yu-Chen. If you have never been to the YV Art Museum, it is somewhat hidden, located off Quarry…

A woman with a shovel. Oversized bunnies are in the foreground and flowers tower over the woman. The picture includes stamps, drawings, maps, and other artistic elements.

“Mended” opens: Mixed-media artwork by Véronique Latimer

March 1, 2025

by Acton Exchange Team

Adapted from a press release 6 Bridges Gallery is pleased to present “Mended” by Acton artist Véronique Latimer. The exhibit will be on view February 26 – April 5 at the gallery (77 Main Street, Maynard) or online, with an in-person artist reception on March 1 from 5-7…

A Victorian-era cast zinc fountain planted with colorful flowers.

The Fountain at the Oval Garden

April 27, 2024

by Ann Marie Testarmata

Acton Garden Club, in cooperation with the Town of Acton, has renovated the Oval Garden in front of Acton Town Hall to honor the Acton Garden Club’s organization in 1934 and to celebrate its 90 years of service to the community. A Civic Development grant was sought by…

Oliver Klein and service dog Quimby, actor Juliana Sena and actor Maddie Freeman (Tin Man)

Open Door Theater Continues to Make Theater Accessible on Both Sides of the Curtain

March 15, 2024

by Michelle Shoemaker

Preparing a typical musical theater production requires an incredible amount of preparation from the cast and crew. Producing a fully accessible theater production includes preparing for many additional details related to special performances and accommodations for cast, crew and patrons. Training the entire cast and crew on best…

Acton Town Hall facade on a snow covered day.

It Takes a Village – Revitalization of the Oval Garden

February 5, 2024

Cathy FochtmanandLinda O’Neil

with commentary by Ann Marie Testarmata The Acton Garden Club, with the support of the Town of Acton, the Acton Historic District Commission, Club members, volunteers, members of the Acton community, and grants, is celebrating its 90th birthday with a revitalization of the Oval Garden in its very…

A group of people around a stone marker and street sign

Acton Hosts Creative Placemaking Workshop

November 6, 2023

by Franny Osman

Last winter, when the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) was looking for two communities to participate in a Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Project , Acton stepped up. Economic and Community Development Director Julie Pierce recognized an opportunity to use art to enhance our new trails and adjacent business…

People in chairs and brainstorming suggestions written on large sheets of paper

Brainstorming Session about a Potential South Acton Cultural District

October 16, 2023

by Franny Osman

On Sunday night October 15, seventeen people came together in Exchange Hall in Acton to brainstorm about a potential South Acton Cultural District, a gathering hosted by the Acton Boxborough Cultural Council (ABCC). Sergiy Georgiyev, co-owner of Magenta Dance Place, offered the third floor historic dance hall for…